Parks and open spaces
Coronavirus
The council understands that the borough’s parks are vitally important for both physical and mental wellbeing. Therefore, our green spaces will remain open at this time.
However, you should minimise time spent outside your home, but you can leave your home to exercise. This should be limited to once per day, and you should not travel outside your local area.
So, people can continue to visit parks and green spaces, but not with those outside their household/support bubble, though someone on their own can meet with one other from a different household. However, social distancing guidelines apply, as set out by the government. This is a priority and not a choice.
Park facilities and services
The council is closely monitoring government advice on COVID-19 and are following the advice of Public Health England. We’re taking all appropriate measures to keep residents safe and healthy during this difficult time.
If you do go outdoors, please remember to follow the government’s advice on social distancing and follow these simple rules to prevent the disease from spreading:
- do not visit a park if you have any symptoms (fever, coughs, shortness of breath)
- if the park is crowded do not enter if you cannot safely observe social distancing
- consider if you can visit your park at different times (later/earlier) to allow use by parents, children and older people during the day
- stay 2 metres (6 feet) apart from each other
- do not play team sports
- we strongly encourage users, parents, guardians and carers of playground areas to use hand sanitiser when using the facilities
- keep your dog(s) under proper control at all times and ideally on a lead
- follow Public Health England (PHE) and Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advice on hand washing and washing your hands when you get home
Latest changes to our park services and facilities
Park opening times and gate locking
Our parks will continue to be locked after hours. Please vacate parks before sunset and ensure that vehicles are removed from park car parks before the gates are locked.
Park car parks
Park car parks will remain open.
Visitor centres - Barking Park and ECP Discovery Centre
Remain closed to the public until further notice.
Cafes - Barking Park and ECP Discovery Centre
The Discovery Centre café remains closed. However, Barking Park café is now providing a take-away service.
Public toilets in parks
All public toilet facilities in parks are now closed. This includes the facilities in Barking Park, Central Park, Eastbrookend Country Park (i.e. Discovery Centre) and St Chads Park.
Boating and Pedalos
The boating facility is now closed until spring 2021. Full details on the Boathouse website.
Allotments
Allotment sites remain open.
Angling
Fishing is not permitted during this national lockdown period.
Splash Park
Splash Park is now closed until Spring 2021. Full details on the Splash Park website.
Playgrounds
Playgrounds remain open
Outdoor gyms
Outdoor gyms are closed.
Games courts, multi-use areas, basketball, tennis and skate parks
Facilities are closed.
Sports pitches
All grassroots sport is suspended/cancelled until further notice.
Ranger Service environmental education and outreach programme (including school bookings)
All sessions, events and activities delivered by the Ranger Service and our partners have been suspended/cancelled until further notice.
Volunteer sessions and activities
For updates on volunteer sessions and Ranger activities call 0208 227 2332 or email: Rangers@lbbd.gov.uk.
Events (including small events, fun fairs, Summer of Festivals programme)
Following the government’s latest advice around preventing the spread of coronavirus, we have decided to postpone and reschedule a number of our community events and cultural programmes, including our Summer of Festivals.
We hope you understand that we haven’t taken this decision lightly but are following current government guidelines. The safety of our community members, volunteers and staff is our main priority.
However, we hope to be able to reschedule our entire programme and will continue to issue updates on this. At this stage the situation is changing daily, but any decision we make will be in accordance with the government’s advice at the time and will be done with the health of our residents and staff as a priority.
Please continue to check our website for any updates on cancellations and rescheduling related to our cultural and community events.
Further information and advice
For updates on parks and related information call 0208 227 2332 or email: Rangers@lbbd.gov.uk.
Please check our main coronavirus page for advice and daily updates and also on our Twitter and Facebook.